The unsatisfied demand of jobs that require mastering new technological tools reaches 10 million jobs in the world, according to estimations of the International Telecommunications Unit (UTI) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

“Globally, about ten million jobs that demand advanced digital skills, such as big data, coding, cybersecurity, internet of things and development of mobile applications, cannot be filled by employers who cannot find people with the skills needed”, said the representative of ILO, Christoph Ernst.

During a panel held at the UTI Conference in Buenos Aires, Ernst pointed out: “Our global alliance is focused on achieving specific results with young people”; and stated that they work “with a strategy based on four interconnected pillars: alliances, action, knowledge and resources”.

The intention of the organizations is to attract the interest of different governments to “provide young people with highly demanded digital skills to make sure they benefit from these employment opportunities, creating inclusive digital societies and economies”.

The representative of UTI, Yushi Torigoe, said that the intention is to “train five million youngsters around the world, with digital skills that enable them to quickly get a job”, as well as to “encourage the creation of new employment opportunities to include more young men and women”.

It also seeks to promote a proper environment were young people may seize the employment and entrepreneurship opportunities offered by the growing digital economy.

Fiorela Haim, who talked about the Plan Ceibal which started in Uruguay in 2007, with the delivery of laptops to children who attend public schools and that, according to Haim, managed to close the digital gap by 2010. The program reached 85% of the children in Uruguay, the total number of children in public schools, who now have their own device and free access to the internet.

“The challenge is to include computer thinking in the curricula. We are working in primary schools (with a pilot of 40 schools) were children have computer thinking classes through videoconferences were they solve complex problem solving”, said Haim.